Asst. Prof. MD. Betul Balli Demirel

I'm a 72-year-old with a lifelong fear of dentists stemming from a childhood trauma. My dentures, over a decade old, were causing painful sores and making eating a chore. I came to Dr. Demirel expecting another dismissive, rushed experience. Instead, she spent the first 20 minutes just listening, to my fears, my history, my daily struggles. She explained the new implant-supported prosthesis option with a 3D model, showing me exactly how it would work. The surgery was scheduled in phases to accommodate my mild hypertension. Her assistant even called me the evening after each procedure. For the first time in 60 years, I have stable, comfortable teeth. She didn't just treat my mouth; she treated my anxiety. The care was profoundly human.

Our 8-year-old son, Kerem, fell off his scooter and completely avulsed his front permanent tooth. It was a Saturday evening, pure panic. We called the hospital, and Dr. Demirel met us there within 40 minutes, still in her casual clothes. She was the picture of calm. She carefully replanted the tooth, explaining each step to Kerem in a game-like way, calling the splint a 'tooth cast.' She gave us her personal number for after-hours concerns. The follow-ups were meticulous, checking the root's vitality with advanced imaging we hadn't seen before. It's been six months, and the tooth is vital and healthy. She turned a traumatic emergency into an adventure for our child, and we are eternally grateful for her swift, expert, and incredibly kind action.

As a musician who plays the saxophone, my jaw joint (TMJ) disorder was destroying my career and my sanity. Clicking, locking, chronic pain, I'd seen three specialists who offered only night guards and painkillers. Dr. Demirel approached it like a detective. She ordered a dynamic CBCT scan to see my jaw movement in real-time and collaborated with a maxillofacial radiologist. Her diagnosis was different: a complex muscular and articular disc displacement. Her treatment plan was a multi-stage protocol involving precise arthrocentesis, followed by a custom-designed physiotherapy regimen she developed with a specialist. She even considered my embouchure! It wasn't a quick fix; it was a rehabilitation. Now, I'm back on stage, pain-free. Her holistic, investigative approach solved a problem others had given up on.

I needed a full-arch zygomatic implant surgery, a major procedure after years of bone loss from periodontal disease. My case was complex due to previous failed grafts. Dr. Demirel's preparation was military in its precision. She presented a digital workflow: virtual surgery planning, a 3D-printed surgical guide, and a pre-made temporary prosthesis. During the four-hour surgery at Liv Hospital, her coordination with the anesthesiology team was seamless. What stunned me was the follow-up. She didn't just see me at scheduled visits; she used a remote monitoring app where I could send photos of the healing sites, and she'd respond within hours. The level of technological integration and continuous care was something I've never encountered. The result is phenomenal. She is a surgeon-scientist who masters cutting-edge technology for exceptional patient outcomes.